Quite effectively, actually.

For the past six days, carnations have been handed out to walkers participating in March to the Finish Line for Melanie, a 135-mile walk from Philadelphia to Washington, DC. The march is being made in memory of health care activist Melanie Shouse, who recently lost her battle with breast cancer after having battled with her insurance for chemotherapy coverage.

Every 12 minutes, on average, a person dies in our country for lack of health insurance.* Marchers are being given carnations to carry with them to DC at the same rate lives are lost each week for lack of health care coverage--approximately 1,000 deaths every 8 days.

To memorialize the mounting human cost of doing nothing, marchers will carry the 1,000 carnations into Washington and lay them on the steps of the U.S. Capitol Building when they arrive on Wednesday. It will no doubt serve as a powerful symbol of all the real Americans who will lose their lives during the period of this 8-day march due to lack of insurance. The message will be clear: Congress must get health reform done, and get it done right.

As Melanie's marchers arrive in the Capitol and hundreds of people join them to march through the streets of Washington, we need as many people as possible across the country talking about health reform. Will you join us by pledging to participate in our Virtual March next week?

[*] according to a recent study released by Harvard Science